Remedy
by Darth Phex
Summary: An alternative version of episode 25. Slight OOC. What if things didn’t go exactly ‘just as planned’ for Light? What if Rem decided she’s had enough?


---**Remedy**---

Light Yagami was dying. No, not in the slow crippling of the muscles or the decaying of bodily functions. He was dying a slower death. One that poisoned his mind and heart with greed and foul corruption. The slow death that only those who have had the undeniable misfortune of using a Death Note have know. Until, that is, they finally met their end.

This epiphany came, as many do, in the middle of the night, when restless minds surface tangled thoughts from the day. Light felt his eyes snap open, unable to sleep, half due to this new found conclusion that his mind seemed to stir up in the waking hours. It was also half due to a splitting ach that began to bet like a demented drum behind his eyes.

He sat up carefully, so as not to alert a certain insomniac sleuth to his movements. It's not that waking up in the night was considered incriminating evidence, but knowing L, it very well could be turned to seem that way.

Fortunately for Light, this happened to be one of those rare nights that said insomniac was forced to sleep due to relentless dedication to wakeful hours and mountains of Kira research.

Light risked a glance in L's direction, cautious, as if this act could tip the detective off and cause him to snap his eyes open and stair back in response. But L remained blissfully unaware of his suspect's actions. He was curled up on the bed surface, his legs drawn up in a mock of his usual strange sitting position. He even had his thumb pressed up to his mouth. The only thing that was out of the ordinary about this picture was that L's large raccoon eyes were closed.

Light couldn't help but smile mischievously at the detective, who appeared childish in his sleep. No wonder L rarely let anyone see this side of himself.

Light then noted the neon display of the analogue clock on the bedside table just behind L's shoulder. It was 5:34, November the 5th. He felt his smile slide into a devilish smirk. All the pieces were set and the play was in motion. Today was the day L was to die.

All that was left was for L to trap Misa with incriminating evidence, and then Rem would swoop in to save the day, therefore sealing the fait of all obstacles left in the path of Kira. Once L was gone, nothing could stop him from creating his new utopian world.

So then, what was this sense of foreboding that crept up on him? This unshakable feeling of dread that things were not what they seemed? The smile slipped from his face and his features became emotionless. The very thoughts that had shaken him awake floated to the forefront of his mind once more. Light Yagami was dying.

_He_ was dying? Where the hell did that come from?

Maybe it was all these morbid thoughts about L's demise that had him on edge. It was natural for him to feel a little paranoid about upcoming events. Though he couldn't help but wonder where such grim conceptions had come from.

Light found that he couldn't answer that. Such feelings had come unbidden with no place of origin. But for all the reassurance that this train of thought was ludicrous, there still remained uncertainty.

He vaguely recalled Ryuk telling him once that there were no repercussions for using the Death Note. That is, other than the constant fear and utter anxiety that the user faces from killing. Ryuk had also once divulged in him that humans who were haunted by Shinigami were bound to be plagued with misfortune. Light had ignored such comments at the time, feeling that if all this was true, he was simply immune to these undesirable effects. That is, until now.

Maybe it was the excitement of what was to occur today that had him feeling so anxious. All he knew (or was willing to have himself believe) was that the sooner L was gone the sooner he could relax.

He did admit to himself that he would miss the detective. It really was a shame that L had to die. If only L could except Kira as justice, he would make a much more valuable ally than Misa ever could.

Light glanced again at the clock. They would soon be getting up to start the work day. More useless hunting for a culprit who sat right under the investigation team's nose. And the only one who was well aware of that fact would soon be taken care of.

It was a few minutes to 6:00. Deciding that it would look peculiar for himself to be awake yet, Light pulled the covers up and concentrated on relaxing his breathing. Knowing L, his percentages of being Kira would only increase if it looked like the teen was watching the detective. All feelings of dread were pushed to the back of his mind.

The neon display on the analogue clock struck 6:00. No alarm was necessary when you worked with someone as punctual as L. The detective immediately sat up and began to pull away the covers.

Light could feel L's gaze piercing him with uncomfortable silence. Light concentrated on remaining motionless and feigning sleep.

"I know you are awake, Light-kun."

Light's breath hitched ever so slightly. He would have snarled in annoyance, but his pride wouldn't allow him to show such a weakness. Especially when he heard the detectives faint voice softly say something about his likelihood of being Kira rose to 13.2%. He could have sworn he heard amusement color the detective's voice.

It was a good thing L would be dead before the end of the day.

-----

By the time detective and suspect had made their way to the main investigation floor the rest of the team was waiting for them. L hunched himself up on his chair in his signature fashion and proceeded to look through his notes.

L had come to an inescapable conclusion. Light was most defiantly Kira. However this was impossible to prove given that it stated clearly in the Shinigami's notebook that this was not possible, or else both Light Yagami and Misa Amane would have died in confinement. This, no doubt, proved that Light was innocent of all accusations connected to Kira.

But something about the thirteen day rule was…off. And Rem's vague answers to queries only helped to raise more doubt about the rule. L couldn't help but suspect that the rule was fake. And what better way to find a rule false than to test it?

It was too easy. The whole situation reeked of a trap.

Why would a fake rule be placed in the notebook, when all one had to do to prove it wrong was to write a name in its pages and live for thirteen days? The rule was just asking to be tested. It was just too easy.

But what was L to do? If the whole thing was a trap, he could very well die. If he left things as they are, Light – no – Kira would be free to kill while the rest of the team and himself chased false leads and phantoms for who knows how long. Not to mention that if Kira got away this time, eventually L and the task force would find themselves dead.

L felt his eye twitch in irritation - a rare manifestation of emotion on his normally blank face.

He had a feeling that he was already snugly settled in a trap. So close to checkmate, yet if he were to make a move he would find himself facing his own demise at Kira's hands. Unfortunately it was his turn to make a move.

'Nothing left to do but spring the trap.' He thought with a mental sigh.

-----

Out of the corner of his eye Light witnessed L quickly start typing up a message on his computer before sending it and turning to address the task force. Curious to this new development Light also turned away from his computer to listen in.

"I have decided to test the Death Note and by extension the thirteen day rule." L announced with blank features.

Several of the other detectives gasped. Light resisted the temptation to roll his eyes as such a reaction was to be expected by the simpletons. Another reason that he would miss L is because he would have to put up with these dimwits for who knows how long. That is, until he just got fed up and killed them all.

The only reaction that mattered to him was Rem's. The Shinigami currently occupied a space against the far wall. Her eyes had gone wide as if her worst fears had been confirmed. And why shouldn't they? This situation only brought Misa closer to her grave.

"Ryuzaki, you can't be serious! To test the Death Note would make us as bad as Kira himself!" Soichiro exclaimed. His face was of shock.

Obviously to think that L would consider something like this was beyond him. Light couldn't really blame him though. They had all known that L would go to drastic measures to obtain the desired results, but to the task force, this was different. Light noted with amusement how they all seemed to so quickly forget the incident with Lind L. Tailor. Idiots.

"The chef's right, Ryuzaki. Even if it was for a good cause, using the Death Note would make us complete hypocrites!" Aizawa argued.

L paused for a moment, chewing on his thumbnail, seeming for a moment to actually take all this into consideration. The team's hopes were deflated however, as he continued with "I had a feeling that you would react that way." His face was void almost with a hint of annoyance. "Which is why I've already asked Watari to arrange the testing. Seeing as I head this investigation, I should not need your approval for my actions."

Light watched his father bit back a heated retort as L continued to speak.

"Watari has come to an agreement with a local prison and two of its death row inmates. One inmate will use the Death Note to kill the other whose execution was scheduled for a few days from now. We will then wait thirteen days and see if at the end of that time the inmate who used the notebook dies." L eyes searched the faces of all present.

"Of course if the remaining inmate does not die after thirteen days have passed, the thirteen day rule will be concluded false and the inmate will be given life in jail instead of the death penalty."

Seeming to be somewhat satisfied with this Soichiro and the rest of the team nodded their understanding and went back to their work.

Light couldn't help but be unnerved by the fact that as L had said this last part his eyes had shifted accusingly from Rem to Light multiple times. As if L was trying to find some kind of slip up in their reactions to his news.

'What L doesn't know is that this is precisely what I want him to do.' The voice of Kira chuckled in his mind. 'It won't be long now before Rem comes to the conclusion that this will put Misa in danger. She'll be forced to act!'

Turning his head ever so slightly in the Shinigami's direction Light could just make out a flash of white dissolve into the wall before leaving the room entirely. He resisted the urge to smirk at this. Rem was already on the move.

Oddly enough, Light felt a shiver run down his spine at this thought.

-----

L witnessed the Shinigami's departure. He instinctively knew now that he had sprung Kira's trap and had mere minutes (if not seconds) to make his move. Perching on his chair L whirled back around to face his computer and hit the intercom system connecting him to Watari. Maybe if he acted fast enough he could stop the Shinigami and Kira in their tracks.

-----

Rem slammed her fist into a nearby wall in fury. She knew now that Light had planned this all from the beginning.

If L concludes that the thirteen day rule is false, then Misa will no doubt be found guilty of being the second Kira. But if Rem takes action and Kills L and his assistant, she would be prolonging Misa's life and as a result die. Even though Misa was being used by Light Yagami all this time she was still desperately in love with him. If Light dies, Misa would become miserable to the point where she would probably kill herself.

Frustration and hatred flowed through Rem's being. Not for L, but for Light. He had manipulated it all so that L and Rem would be eliminated. He was the only one who won in this situation.

"How could Misa ever love such a vile, rotten creature as Light Yagami?" She pratically spat the name as if it was made of acid. "She's better off without him, even if she would be miserable."

'That's a thought.' Rem concluded as one of her skeletal hands reached for her Death Note.

-----

"Watari, have you made contact with the prison?" L asked through the intercom.

On the outside the detective appeared calm and collected. However on the inside thoughts where zooming around his head like agitated bees, only twice as fast. It all came down to this. He could sense Kira's eyes burning into the back of his skull.

The seconds ticked by like molasses.

"Watari." At this point L's voice began to waiver slightly. "have you made conta-."

Before the question could escape his lips for a second time all hell broke loose.

A siren went off somewhere as all the computers flashed to red. The identical message of "all data deleted" swept across the many computer screens. The investigation team was thrown into a panic.

"Ryuzaki, what's happening?!"

"All data deleated? Ryuzaki, what does that mean?!"

'No! Why would the Shinigami go after Watari? He didn't pose any kind of threat to her…._unless_.' L whirled around, his eyes narrowing as they found they're target, Light. The youths hair and eyes shown blood red in the glow of the many computer screens. Light stared back impassively; the shadows making his features appear more sinister.

-----

Rem could feel herself dying. Her skeletal frame eroding and dissolving into dust.

She felt no remorse for having to kill the old man. It was necessary to stop him from continuing to test the Death Note.

Now there was only one name left that would be claimed by this god of death. Rem realized in the end that she was doing this as much out of her own personal need for revenge as for Misa's well being. As her body crumbled into dust she indulged herself in a self-satisfied chuckle.

40 seconds and counting.

-----

"Everyone, the Shinigami is-."

Light never heard the rest of L's words. The excitement that had flooded his body was quickly extinguished. He couldn't suppress a shiver that crawled through his being. In that instant the flood gates broke and the fear that had been contained in the back of his mind spread through him like a sickness. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

"Rem, what have you done." He voiced in a hoarse whisper.

_Thu-thump_

-----

"Rem, what have you done." At first Light's words confused L.

As the other member's of the task force ran about in a panic trying without success to restart the computers, L, who had been closest to the Kira suspect, had just barely heard the whispered words.

L noted also that Light appeared much paler as well, his hands were shaking ever so slightly. What unnerved the detective the most were the fragments of genuine fear in the youth's eyes.

Then without warning, L watched as Light's knees buckled and gave way as the boy collapsed.

Before he could even register his own movements L had launched himself from his chair to grab a hold of the teen, cradling his body in his arms as they hit the floor.

'Rem? Is that what he meant? Could Light be having a heart attack?!' L could feel the horror frozen on his features as he looked down at the youth the lay in his arms.

Light looked back up at him, eyes wide and in pain. Traces of tears formed at the corners of his sepia eyes.

'No no no no no NO!' L thought feverishly as the reality of the situation sunk in to his over-active mind. Although Light was Kira, he was also L's first real friend and someone he had come to relate to and enjoy the company of. If Light died now….

"No, Light-kun. You can't die. I have to catch you still. Your Kira, I know it. You can't just go. You can't die." L almost stuttered in a rush to get the words out.

In the back of his mind L registered that the rest of the task force had witnessed Light's collapse. Even more panicked than before the other's (especially Light's father) were on the edge of hysterics. L's raised voice and obvious distress didn't help matters either.

L felt the body in his arms give an uneasy lurch that made L sick to his stomach. Light's breathes became more labored as his eyes widened impossibly large….

…and then began to close.

"Light please." L found himself pleading in a whisper. He no longer cared for pride. His friend was dying.

"Ryu…zaki…L. I'm Kira… and…I'm sorry."

With that said Light's eyes slid shut. Still cradling him in his arms for the first time since he could remember L Lawliet found tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry to Light-kun."

---**End**---


End file.
